Past Meets Present
by Lia Fox
Summary: Seth is broken up over Summer not working out and Ryan is trying to help, when an unexpected person from the past shows up. Ryan has to face some truths that he chose to ignore but it just might be what seth needs.
1. Past Meets Present

The O.C. After 'The Rescue' Disclaimer: sadly I don't own Seth, Summer, Ryan, Marissa, Sandy, Kirsten, or Jimmy.  
  
"Seth?" Ryan called as he threw down his backpack from work.  
  
"Seth? I though you were gonna pick me up?" Ryan walked around the house until he heard the familiar beeps of a video game.  
  
Ever since Summer had ditched him for the social life, Seth had stayed locked up in the house. It's not as if he was much of a social butterfly before, but at least he went out, he didn't even skateboard anymore because Summer had called that as a reason not to be together.  
  
"These damn cliché and their rich people rules. God, life was simpler back home; you wanted it, you took it." Ryan found Seth in front of the TV kicking some ninja ass and grabbed the other controller.  
  
"Hey. I thought you were picking me up today?" Ryan joined the game as Ghost.  
  
"What? Oh, right, yeah. Well I had lots of homework and couldn't leave." Seth stared intently on the screen, not wanting to look at the disbelief on Ryan's face. The only friend he still had and he was lying to him.  
  
"Right, I can see how homework kept you here." Ryan shook his head and delivered a series of moves that killed Seth's guy.  
  
"You do realize you haven't left the house for three weeks? You know there is life beyond girls." Ryan turned the game off and switched the TV on.  
  
"I didn't even know there was a life with girls. And I have left the house, I went to school didn't I?" Seth got defensive and got up for a drink.  
  
"Dude, that doesn't count. How many people have you talked to besides teachers? Four. Your parents, Marissa and me, that's just sad." Ryan followed Seth to the kitchen and poured a glass of juice.  
  
"Well you know me, sad and pathetic, at least that's how Summer puts it." Seth left to go to his room. "I have homework, see you tomorrow."  
  
"Seth, promise me you'll pick me up from work tomorrow? Marissa needs a ride and I sorta said you'd give her one. Then we can go and see a movie maybe?" Seth nodded and Ryan watched as his friend went off to sulk.  
  
Ryan didn't like it. Seth was giving up on everything he had loved because some girl didn't like him. Granted he had loved the girl since like third grade, but the look he had in his eyes reminded Ryan of him, back when life sucked and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
"Boys? Can you help me with the groceries?" Kirsten called from the doorway.  
  
"Be right there, Mrs. Cohen." Ryan jogged out to the car to help.  
  
"Hello?" Marissa knocked on the door and Sandy answered.  
  
"Oh hello Marissa, nice to see you. Seth is in the living room. Please take him away, I can't stand how he mopes around all day." Sandy ushered her into the house and pushed in the direction of the living room.  
  
"How's your dad doing? You two adjusted to living the apartment life?"  
  
"Yeah, we're alright." Marissa walked into the living room and found Seth reading Spiderman comic book.  
  
"K, you were suppose to pick me up. Luckily my dad didn't need the car and I came to get you." She took the comic book away and threw on the couch.  
  
"Yeah, lucky for me." Seth went to grab the book.  
  
"Let's go, I promised Ryan I'd bring you no matter what" and she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the car.  
  
....  
  
Ryan finished wiping down the counter and checked the clock. Thirteen more minutes and he was done. He looked at the customers and noticed some girl staring at him, as soon as their eyes met she looked away, at least he thinks, she was wearing sunglasses so it was hard to tell. She looked familiar but he couldn't place her, she was in a dark corner and had a hat on so he couldn't see her face.  
  
"Oh well, probably just some chick from school." Ryan took of his apron and grabbed his sweater.  
  
"I'm done man." He got his tips and left, followed by the girl.  
  
"Hey" Marissa greeted him with a kiss and pulled Seth forward.  
  
"Look who I brought." Seth gave a fake smile and shrugged her off.  
  
"K, what do you want to do? The first time in moonlight for a month, it's up to you." Ryan put his sweater on and started walking to the car.  
  
"Home sounds nice to me." Seth mumbled and got a smack from Ryan.  
  
"Snap out of it, she was just a girl," Ryan noticed that Marissa remained quiet, she didn't want to take sides so she didn't really talk about Summer. But she did think it was time to get over something that never really existed.  
  
"Ryan?" someone from behind called him.  
  
Ryan turned around and saw the girl from the restaurant. "Yeah?"  
  
She took off her hat and sunglasses and Ryan instantly recognized her. He took a few steps closer until they were standing a foot apart and starred in shock.  
  
"Brooke?" Ryan slowly pushed the golden brown hair out of her green eyes to see the golden flecks. The girl smiled and the two fell into a hug.  
  
"oh my god, how'd you find me? When did you find me? Why..where...oh my god." Ryan stammered as he hugged the girl again and again. All she did was laugh and hug back.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" Marissa and Seth were both looking a little confused.  
  
"Oh, sorry. Seth, Marissa, meet Brooke, my little sister." 


	2. The Talk

Chapter 2: The Talk  
  
"Oh, well now it's all so clear.not. Since when have you had a SISTER!?!?!" Marissa was a bit shocked at this news, she hadn't really thought about it but always figured Ryan was the youngest. I mean, there was his older brother, but she had no idea that he had a little sister.  
  
"Well.since I was 13 months. And she's really my half sister, different fathers. And as for the not mentioning, well there's a whole lot of history to that, not something I want to get into on the pier." Ryan hugged Brooke again smiled.  
  
Marissa noticed the smile, it was new, something she hadn't seen before. I mean, obviously she'd seen him smile, but not like that, it was.pure, honest, and open. Not the main qualities of Ryan. She understood that there was a deep connection between them, something real and good for Ryan in a not so good life style. He almost looked like a little kid when he smiled that way, and he hadn't had a reason to smile like that for a long while, it made her smile a little too. She turned to Seth and closed his mouth for him, "Well, then lets go home. C'mon, I'll drive us to your house and we can order some pizza." She dragged Seth into the car and the others followed.  
  
"A house, haven't been in one of those for a while." Brooke climbed in next to Ryan.  
  
The other two laughed, but Ryan could sense that there was some truth to that statement, something wasn't right and that's why she had come to find him. But he had no idea what it was.  
  
...  
  
"So, this is your place? Pretty sweet compared to before." Brooke was looking around the pool house while Marissa and Seth went to order the pizza.  
  
It was weird to see her older brother in a place like this. They used to sit and dream about one day living here, getting the lucky ticket out of their hell hole and finding the perfect family, seems like he had.  
  
"Why are you here? I mean, I'm glad you are, but why?" Ryan was watching the anxiety Brooke held in her eyes when he asked the question, but wanted to hear her answer first.  
  
"Nice to see you too bro. How have you been? Oh I've been fine. Yeah I know we haven't talked in four years, but who's counting?" Brooke looked at Ryan. He knew the look well and decided to save the harder questions until later.  
  
"Fine, sorry. What's up? What have you been doing for the last four years?" Ryan sat down on his couch and got comfy. Just then the other two came in with a pizza.  
  
"Mom already ordered us one, she thought we were home." Seth pulled up a chair and grabbed a slice.  
  
"So.explain." Seth said in between bites.  
  
"Right, um.well Brooke was born 13 months after me, by another guy, Jack. (Brooke shivered at his name, Ryan noticed but decided to ask later) He was a real ass like most of my mom's boyfriends, landed in jail about six weeks after Brooke was born for a knife fight. So Brooke grew up with us, we hung out all the time. We were in the same grade too cuz she skipped a grade, always smarter then me." Ryan stopped to eat some pizza.  
  
"Any ways, Jack got out when I was ten and took joint custody. So we still saw each other, but not a lot, Jack would leave for weeks without telling Ryan or my mom and then show up and leave me with them for a month, really chaotic." Brooke had finished her second piece and was starting on her third.  
  
"Yeah, and we started to notice that every time Brooke came over she had a new bruise. Use to say it was form falling down the stairs or whatever, but living our life style, and the fact that she lived in a bungalow, we knew the bastard was hurting her. My mom didn't have enough to support all three of us, so when Brooke turned 13 I took her to live with her aunt, and we got Jack thrown in jail for child abuse." Ryan paused to let it sink in.  
  
"And then I wrote and you didn't reply for four years, then my aunt died so I came looking for you, and voila.here you are." Brooke starred at Ryan with her hand on her hip.  
  
"And this is our cue to leave," Marissa and Seth quickly left the pool house to let Brooke and Ryan talk.  
  
"You didn't answer, not one god damn letter. God, all I wanted was to know you hadn't forgot me, but I guess that was too much to ask." Brooke put down her pizza and turned away from Ryan.  
  
"Look, it's not like that. You think it was easy for me to send away the only person that I cared about? You think I wanted you to leave? No one else talked to me or even looked at me like you did, you cared about me and I hated having to say good bye." Ryan was on his feet now, he was getting mad but wasn't sure why. "You left and I was miserable. I wouldn't do anything. Mom got worried so she tried to make you disappear, she thought that if I didn't hear or see you, then I might be able to get over it. She told me a year ago that she had kept all the letters, you stopped writing after two years and when I tried writing back, you had moved." Ryan was cooling down now and walked over to Brooke.  
  
They looked at each other for a long time, Brooke trying to see if it was true, and Ryan trying to figure out why she was here. Suddenly, Brooke caved, she smiled and Ryan knew that it was all good.  
  
"So, why are you here?" Ryan tried to keep eye contact but Brooke looked away.  
  
"New topic. Guys, you can come back in now!" She called out to Seth and Marissa who were standing by the pool.  
  
"All right, pizza" Seth dived for the box.  
  
"Brooke, answer the question! What's going on?" Ryan was getting angry, something was wrong and she wasn't telling him what it was.  
  
"I told you, Aunt Marcy died, so I came to find you." Brooke was doing her best to avoid any eye contact with Ryan.  
  
"Bull shit, what is it?" He walked over to her and forced her to look at him.  
  
"All right, it's Jack." She broke free and walked over to the bed and sat down. "It's Jack, he's out. And well, a little pissed, can't blame him, his own blood got him locked up, that was the one thing he always hated.betrayal." She put her head in her hands and tried to relax, but she was shaking all over.  
  
"He tried to see me, at the funeral, so I ran. I didn't know where else to go, so I went to you, only you weren't there. So I went to Mindy's, cuz she was the only friend of mom's that I remembered and I got mom's address. She told me where you were, and here I am. He's following me, I just know it." She laid back and tried not to cry.  
  
Ryan went to her and lay beside her. "Listen, I know it's rough, I've been there too. But I won't let him hurt you, I swear." He put his arm around her.  
  
"Yeah, neither will we. We'll figure something out, we always do. After all we adopted Ryan, kept Marissa out of a mental hospital and took down her mom!" Seth stood up and walked towards Brooke.  
  
"That's great.but who are you?" 


	3. Meet the Parents

Chapter Three: Meet the Parents  
  
"Oh, sorry sis, this is Seth. I don't know if mom told you but dad Sandy is my lawyer and the Cohen's took me in after a got arrested for jacking a car." Ryan stood up and helped Brooke to her feet.  
  
"Yeah, mom mentioned something like that, but you know her, doesn't remember a lot. So the Cones took you in because . . . . . you're sweet and innocent?" Brooke was a little confused on this topic, her brother wasn't exactly someone you would take in off the street. He was sweet and all, but not so innocent, then again maybe they didn't know a lot about him, maybe they don't really know why he is who he is.  
  
"First of all it Cohen, not Cone. Second, Ryan didn't seem like the evil type and he really tried to be nice around my parents, though mom wasn't cool with him staying for a while. But he grew on her and now she's over protective and doing all the motherly things." Seth pinched Ryan's cheek in a mock of his mother. He couldn't help but wonder why had they taken him in, yeah sure he was in trouble and he liked him as a friend . . . . but his mom wasn't known for her spontaneous actions.  
  
"Right" Brooke still didn't get it all, but figured it didn't really matter, she had found Ryan and that's what counted. So long as she stayed near him, Jack wouldn't hurt her. . . . . all the time they had known each other, Jack had hit Ryan once, and landed in the hospital with a broken arm and a divorce because of it. Ryan always stood up to him for her, never once did she see him back away from a fight, never.  
  
"So why again are you here? I mean it's cool and all, but I didn't even know Ryan had a sister and then boom you're here to visit? Just a little surprising." Seth wanted to know more about Brooke, he didn't care what, just get to know her. He couldn't help but think she was really hot. . . . . maybe even hotter then Summer.   
  
Brooke thought about that question for a minute before answering.   
  
"I just needed somewhere to regroup, you know, focus and figure out what to do next. I'll be out of here soon, I just got to figure out where first." Brooke looked at Ryan with the puppy dog eyes and asked to stay a few nights.  
  
"Yeah, we might want to tell Sandy and Kirsten about you too though. I know it's my place and all, but I think they have a right to know. And I think we should do it now, just to get it over with." Ryan walked towards the door and held it open for Marissa and Brooke.  
  
Seth stopped just before the door to talk to Ryan with out the girls, "Dude, your sister's hot! Think you could help out a friend?"  
  
Ryan smaked upside the head, "She's my little sister Seth! You're practically her brother. NO, no way am I hooking you two up, forget it." Ryan started to leave but Seth pulled him back.  
  
"Weren't you just telling me to get over Summer and move on, find someone not so into the rich life thing, well Brooke seems pretty grounded. . . . . . "Seth looked hopefully at Ryan, the glare he got back wasn't too encouraging.  
  
"I didn't mean my sister! And she's not even staying here long, there is no way in hell your goin a pull a one night stand on my Brooke." Ryan pulled the door free of Seth's hand and left.  
  
"But you know I'd treat her right. . . . . I'm not going to pull a one night stand, cuz I wouldn't really know how. C'mon, just give me a shot." Seth whispered to Ryan as they hurried to cathc up to the girls waiting by the stairs.  
  
Ryan relaxed a little,   
  
"I'm not going to help you, but I'm not going to stop you either, sound fair? Just remember. . . . .you hurt her and I'll -"  
  
"I know, I know, you'll hurt me too." Seth smiled.  
  
"No, I'll kill you!" Ryan jogged up to the girls and started talking, leaving Seth to think if he really meant what he said.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
"Wow, that's a lot to take in." Sandy and Kirsten had just been given a summary of the facts and were still wheeling from the shock of it.   
  
"Of course she can stay, for as long as she needs to." Sandy looked at the expression on his face, the same doubtful look she had when he had told her about Ryan. I hope she isn't angry, but I can't just expect Ryan to give up his sister and not help her, I'm hoping that he couldn't do that.  
  
"Why don't you guys go set up another bed, I need to talk to your father." Kirsten turned to face Sandy and waited for the kids to leave.  
  
"You know we can't just let her go. She is only sixteen and she's already crossed half the country looking for Ryan, it's a miracle she wasn't kidnapped or killed." Kirsten frowned at the though of this, I don't think Ryan is going to part with her, he doesn't seem like he wants to let her go.  
  
"are you saying what I think your saying? You want to keep Brooke too?" Sandy couldn't belive what his wife was saying, the shock from Brooke was still sinking in, and now this. . . . . he might have a heart attack or something.  
  
"Well, you can't expect Ryan to give up the one good thing in his life. You saw the way he looked at her, the way he acted around her. He's protective and concerned. . . . not something he shows a lot. They are family, and Cohen's don't separate family." Kirsten didn't really know where she was going with this, but began to realize that Brooke probably wouldn't be leaving very soon.  
  
"Kirsten, you want to adopt Brooke too? Are you sure?" Sandy looked at his wife with disbelief written all over his face.  
  
"I guess so, We can't let her go back to Jack, and I'm not letting a sixteen year old out into this world be herself. . . . .and I don't think Ryan would either. But lets give her a week or two, just see what happens and we'll go from there. I just have this feeling that if she leaves, so does Ryan, and I don't think Seth will stand for that - he might even try to go too." Sandy and Kirsten sat there for a few moments thinking this over.  
  
It was true, if Brooke left then so did Ryan and Seth wouldn't be far behind. But were they really ready to take on another kid, especially a girl. They had no idea what to do with Brooke, Seth had been there only child and now suddenly two new teenagers show up. But could they just let her go back to him, to that monster who calls himself a dad. . . . . or worse, to nobody? 


	4. Settleling In

" I can't believe they were cool with me staying, where did you find these people?" Brooke was making the couch in the corner into her bed; she finished and started to look around the room in more detail.  
  
"I told you, Sandy's my lawyer. He came down to talk to me and took me home for the weekend, when I went home no one was there so he brought me back again. Long struggle over juvy and here and between his wife and him until they decided to adopt me. . . mom came half way through and then left." Ryan came out of the closet with an extra pillow and blanket  
  
"Typical, she hasn't gotten better I take it?" Brooke walked over and laid on Ryan's bed. Sandy had brought in chips and snack food and it seemed like old times, complaining about mom, hiding from dad and eating crap. It was fun.  
  
"Nope, did you really think she could? Anyway you've had a long day, why don't you go to sleep?" Ryan was closing all of the blinds and heading for the light switch.  
  
"Well, well, well, look whose back to big brother. I guess the money doesn't change some people." She smiled as he got defensive and tried to show her he was still tough.  
  
"Whatever, I'm going to sleep." Ryan kicked her off of his bed and crawled under the covers.. .but tomorrow we talk."  
  
Brooke walked over to her bed and lay down, but she couldn't sleep. There was so much racing through her head; Jack and his memories, memories of Ryan, her situation, her Aunt, an if she really had a place in Ryan's new life. That was the most serious one, if she belonged with him anymore. . . he had always been her sanctuary, a safe place for her, but now all of this had happened with the Cohen's and didn't seem like she could just drop in whenever anymore. With the unhappy thoughts floating in her mind she drifted to sleep, over come by exhaustion and tired from running for the past month.  
  
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
"Yo, Ryan, Brooke!" Seth was calling from outside the pool house.  
  
Ryan and Brooke had been talking for the last six hours almost, catching up on things in life. Nothing else exciting had really happened that the other didn't know about. It was all typical to their kind of lives.  
  
"It's swimming time my friends, lets go!" Seth jumped into the pool and tried to sound coaxing to the others, Marissa was sun bathing on one of the chairs and Seth splashed her.  
  
"Seth! Do you not realize the quality of this body? It needs a tan and I intend to get a good one before winter!" She moved her chair back and glared at Seth.  
  
"Is she for real?" Brooke and borrowed one of Marissa's two pieces and it fit nicely, though the straps had to be tied back because Marissa was taller than her.  
  
"Yup, though she's not as bad as some people are here." That got a look of disbelief from Brooke and Ryan headed to the pool, along the way he picked Marissa up and threw her in.  
  
Brooke stood at the edge of the pool looking at the happy family picture in front of her. She watched as Ryan smiled and kissed his girlfriend, he deserves this. He needs this kind of life after the hell he went through, mostly for me. Damn, I don't think I fit in here anymore. Just then Ryan looked up and saw the sad look on her face, he realized she had a lot to deal with and he couldn't help her handle it.  
  
"What's wrong? Can't you swim?" Seth's calling snapped Brooke back to reality.  
  
"Yeah, can't you swim?" Ryan had a smirk across his face and Brooke just smiled before she walked on to the diving board. Ryan tried to guess what she was going to do as she started the approach.  
  
Brooke did a cartwheel and then jumped into a perfect arch above the water before diving in, making barely a splash.  
  
"Oh, I guess you can." Seth had a shocked look on his face, but he started to swim around again.  
  
"The Y offered free lessons if the swimmer would work for them part time, so Brooke can kick ass in a pool." Ryan laughed as she swam over to him and pulled him under; "Oh it's on" He called when he resurfaced. Suddenly the pool was filled with shrieks and splashes as everyone tried to pull everyone under.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . .  
  
A week had passed since Brooke jumped into the Cohen's life, and things were starting to go back to normal, then Julie got back from her vacation and learned about their new neighbor.  
  
"So Kirsten, I hear you found someone else to shelter. What's wrong with her? Jail bird? Drug addict?" Julie came bursting into the Cohen house and started to interrogate Kirsten.  
  
"No, nothing like that. Brooke is a perfectly fine teenager and doesn't want any trouble. I also don't see how this is any of your business." Kirsten could feel her neck growing hot as her temper rose. Julie was always smug about situations like these, questioning and accusing when there was nothing to worry about, then she would go and spread some horrible rumor around town that the Cohen's had an prostitute living under their roof.  
  
"Well if I'm going to be neighbors with you, I might as well know what kind of riff raff is living here." She looked around the living room to see if there were any signs of some horrid creature tearing the place apart.  
  
"The new riff raff you're speaking of is my sister." Ryan entered from the patio door and glared at Julie. She wasn't too fond of Ryan already, and he was sure she would be pleased to know his family had now moved in. . .well, sort of.  
  
"Oh, I see." Julie blushed a little, made another quick sweep of the room and left.  
  
"That woman, she drives me crazy!" Kirsten could stand Julie most of the time (for Jimmy's sake) but lately she was really getting on her nerves.  
  
"Tell me about it, she hates my guts and I'm dating her daughter. . . not something that mixes well with each other." Ryan poured four glasses of iced tea and put them on a tray.  
  
"How's Brooke doing? Anything she needs?" Kirsten opened the door leading to the pool for him.  
  
"Fine, she seems to like it here. And she loves to swim, so when we're all out at school, she goes down to the beach. It works." Ryan called to the others and they all swooped down for some refreshing liquid, all but Brooke.  
  
Whenever Sandy or Kirsten was around, she always hesitated. I guess you can't blame the poor girl, she hasn't had an easy life. Kirsten tried to think of what Brooke and Ryan had been through as kids, never having a safe place. . . worrying if they would have enough food. . . fearing their own dad. Then it hit her, which's why she doesn't talk to Sandy; she's scared of him. Who wouldn't be? Her father, the one who's supposed to protect you, hurt her the most. My god, I can't imagine what she has to deal with; maybe I should talk to her. Kirsten wandered back inside to find Sandy.  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"So, you like it here?" Seth was drifting passed Brooke on a floating chair.  
  
"Yeah, not bad. A little different from what I'm used to, but not bad Cohen." She smiled as the sun hit his very white body and laughed to herself, he would get so hurt in Chino.  
  
"Kids, I forgot to tell you, tomorrow is the Fall Formal. Why don't you all go looking for something to wear at the mall, and don't worry Brooke, this one is on us since we're making you go." Kirsten shut the door on the last words.  
  
"A what? I don't know if I should go, not exactly elegant here." Brooke was a little shocked by all of this; she wasn't used to the rich life at all.  
  
"No prob, you should have seen Ryan at the first thing, no elegance what so ever!" Ryan tipped Seth's chair in his difference.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure you'll fit right in, I'll help you pick out the right kind of dress, it'll be fun." Marissa swam to the edge of the pool and got out.  
  
Yeah, I can hardly wait to make a fool of myself in front of the entire town! 


	5. Perfect Pink!

"Oh my god! This would look so good on you, and it's the perfect size. Hey! Come over here and see this, it's even better. Pink and lace, this is perfect." Marissa had been playing dress up with Brooke for the last three hours, and even though Brooke was in good physical condition, she was becoming extremely worn out. Man, I am not used to this at all! I didn't know people actually did this – at a mall for three hours? The only reason I went into a mall was for warmth, ok – a little stealing happened, but that took all of five minutes!  
Ryan smirked as he watched Marissa with his sister, he had to admit, Marissa had good taste and so far they had found about twelve outfits to wear. But enough was enough, he was tired and hungry and sick of pink! Time to go. "Yo, pick one and lets move. I'm hungry!" Ryan stretched as he got out of the chair and hit Seth's arm to wake him up on the way.  
"Fine! If you insist on ruining a perfectly pleasant girls thing. What one do you want to get Brooke?" She smiled as Brooke picked out this gorgeous blue dress that fitted her nicely and made Seth really open his eyes. Nice choice, you know – I think she'll fit in here nicely. At least a lot better than Ryan did at first. Marissa held a laugh in as she though about the begging with Ryan, but smiled contently as she watched him with Brooke.  
As the four left the store, Seth pulled Ryan into the comic book store, "Two seconds girls – now is time for the guy thing." Brooke couldn't be sure, but she though she heard her brother mumble something about 'the geek thing'. Never was into geeks, good thing, probably saved him a world of hurt. She stared around the mall in awe. Here was a multimillion-dollar place and she had been stuck to live in a two-dollar life style. "Whatever, at least I got my slice o' bread." She smiled.  
"What? You want to get some bread?" Marissa had been watching Ryan through the window and only heard the last part.  
"Oh...um," Brooke went red in the face, "Well, when my dad was around he never like to hear about Ryan because, Ryan was pretty much the only person who could hurt my dad. Not saying he could take him, but Ryan knew how to move with him, and my dad never touched me if he was around, it was when he wasn't that was...well...scary." She lowered her eyes from Marissa's face, ashamed even more of her life. "anyways, with the bread right. Well when my dad was around and my mom and I would talk about Ryan, we never actually said his name – again with the hurt. So we used to call him rye – like the bread – and that turned into slice o' bread. Which my dad though was some hoodlum done the street – not too smart my dad, thank god for that at least!" She gave a small smile and turned to examine the other stores.  
Wow! I can't imagine being afraid of saying a name. I mean, I know not to talk about Ryan to my mom – but to actually be afraid of saying it. I have no idea how she could live like that, and to be this strong at the end too! That takes guts – no wonder Ryan loves her so much, they fit. Marissa suddenly held a new sensation of awe over Brooke, she was impressed that someone living that kind of life, could turn out as sweet as Brooke did. At least she got out before it was too late. Marissa smiled at Brooke as she turned round again and then realized that Brooke was not smiling back – she wasn't even looking at her. Something behind Marissa had captured Brooke's total attention...and scared her.  
Holy shit! I can't believe this! Not here – not now! Brooke slowly back up until her foot hit a piece of trash on the floor and slipped. Lucky for her, Ryan was standing behind her and caught her before she hit the ground.  
"Careful there sis." Ryan stood her up straight and then caught the expression on her face, "What is it? Are you okay?" He shook her a little to snap her out of her trance.  
"Huh? Oh yeah, great!" Brooke put on the fakest smile Ryan had ever seen – and that meant a lot living in the O.C. Just great! Brooke though as she searched the area for some kind of sign that it had all been a horrible nightmare. How could he have found me so fast? This is not fair! And if he found me, than why did he leave – god he's driving me nuts and he hasn't even spoken to me yet! I hate him, I just HATE him! She ignored Ryan for a second as he tried to make her focus on him, that's when she clued in. Of course! It's Ryan – the bastard still hates Ryan.  
A real smile fell onto Brooke's lips as she looked at Ryan again – even more thankful to be his sister than before.  
The group headed for the car, and once outside in the glorious sunshine of good old Orange County, Ryan tried to focus on Brooke. Something had changed while he wasn't there, she was getting all paranoid and shifty again. What happened? Did Marissa say something maybe – no, no one has ever been able to shake Brooke like that, she was always good with the tough talk. With everyone except – NO! he couldn't be here, could he? But as Ryan finished that thought, Seth pointed out an old beat up car with pictured of playboy bunnies all over the seats and whistled.  
"nice! Love this guys style!" Marissa smacked him upside the head – followed by a murmur of protest from Seth. Ryan looked at the car hard, studying it. Damn it! I know this stupid car! "why didn't you say anything?" Ryan talked in a whisper, but with force behind his voice, the whole group fell silent. "why didn't you tell me Brooke?" Ryan turned his gaze from the car to his sister, who was trembling beside Seth.  
"Ryan, I just found out. I was in the mall and I wasn't sure...." She trailed off at the look in Ryan's eyes. It was evil and full of hate and she hated that look. Marissa and Seth were trying to figure out what was going on, but only got this horrible feeling of bad when they looked at Ryan.  
"No way, you would know him in a heartbeat – why didn't you tell me?" Comprehension showed on Seth and Marissa's face as Brooke was almost in tears looking at the license plate. The two Chino's were shaking – but one from hate and one from fear.  
"Right, well, time to go home. Better to leave than stay by his car don't you think?" Ryan agreed with Marissa's suggestion and stormed off to the car, leaving Seth to help Brooke.  
Weird, I've never seen Ryan that pissed off before. And if it's who I think it is, why wouldn't Ryan stay with Brooke? He can't honestly be mad because she didn't tell him the second she saw her dad, could he? Something very wrong is in this picture! 


End file.
